Just wondering if anyone uses or has any experience using 100LL AvGas for their Mini? I wasn't sure if it is really that better for our engines as opposed to 93 octane. Main reason why I thought it may be good was the fact that there is lead in AvGas.

 

Though 100LL is low in lead, it still has it and your car wasn't designed to use it. Better off going with racing gas. Plus, with the current cost of 100LL, you won't be saving any money over racing gas.

 

This isn't regarding my '05, I use premium for that.

I am asking about my 1981, that's why I was wondering is low lead would be good for it or not.

I'm currently paying $5.60 for AvGas so it would only be about $30 to fill up my tank.

 

Has your Mini been converted to unleaded valve seats? It's a pretty common fix for the older engines. I know nothing about AvGas, but I know I don't need to run it in my Mini.

What, do you feel like something's wrong when you're only paying $20 to fill the tank?

Jeff

 

I'm perfectly fine with running premium, I was just asking out of curiosity. That's all

 

If you have an '81, that's well after the start of the catalytic converter era, so your heads should already have hardened valve seats designed for use with unleaded gas. If you still have the catalytic converter, even the small amount of lead in 100LL could still poison it, but you shouldn't have any problems with valve seat erosion.

 

Great, thanks for the information!

 

As a pilot (over 7000 hrs) I will tell you that 100LL, even though it is refered to as "LOW LEAD", that is a realitive term...(pilots actually joking call it 100 lots of lead)...compared to the previous 120/140 octane fuels used before they were discontinued....compared to car gas (old leaded specs) there is tons of lead....so much the sparkplugs on a airplane are removed, and the lead build up removed at regular intervals...about 100 hrs...
If you want to run a bit of 100LL in a classic mini, mixed with unleaded, go for it, but in a modern car, the lead buildups can lead to hotspots..and possible performance issues...also keep in mind that the octane rating on 100LL, if it was rated with the same system as used in car gas, would be higher...about 110...
Many airport operators have burnt the vales in their refueling trucks using 100ll..one trick many opperstors at airports do is add some light oil to the fuel..
(Off road, so mostly legal)
This both gives the gasoline similar propties to regular gas (100ll will evoprate to nothing, as opposed to auto fuel, which feels a bit more oily), thus reducing the octane a bit, and adding a bit of lube for the fuel system.

 

I'm a pilot as well, although not nearly close to your 7000 hrs! But that's really what sparked my thinking.

I'll just stick with premium for good ol' Winston.

 

My 82 still needs lead additive.

 

I ran 100LL in my 3 wheeler occasionally as a kid and it woke it right up. It ran hotter though and my muffler was all rusted out. Not all of the time but once or twice a year was good enough for me.